Sunday, 21 April 2013

So it's been quite a week as I approached a significant birthday - yesterday - one with a zero on the end and one that had me feeling quite melancholy at times.
But I have no reason to fret, I have a great family, and fab friends and I have had an amazing few days, not without drama.
On Thursday, I ran a lovely Day Workshop, in English Paper Piecing, very gentle and relaxing and I think I passed on my obsession to a few more willing participants.
On Thursday night, I had supper out with my Sewing Bee pals - it was a smashing night of laughter & good food. It has taken me a very long time to learn how to hold on to pressies until birthdays or Christmas Days, but on Thursday night I went back to old ways, opened the parcel and was overwhelmed at receiving this beauty. Isn't it gorgeous?

The fabric is Notting Hill by Joel Dewberry, and it is even on the back!!

The girls know how much I love this.

On Saturday our family celebration lunch had to be cancelled due to a sick baby and an injured puss but I was still able to spend the day with my close family around me and both baby & puss are improving with antibiotics...............my OH & lovely kids bought me a brand spanking new laptop and this is my first post using it, what joy to be rid of the permanent red vertical line & the sticky "M" key. I have loaded EQ7, a surprise extra gift from Big Sis. How spoiled am I?

Today, extended family visited and contrary to the weather forecast, the sun shone for the second day in a row and we actually got to sit outside - wow!

I have been such a lucky "girl" that I thought it was time for me to offer a wee giveaway to celebrate such a momentous occasion - lol

I have been stockpiling this lovely range of fabric - it's Mod Century by Jenn Ski for Mod and I am going to give away 12 fat 1/8ths to one winner.

All you need to do is leave a comment telling me which birthday has been your most memorable to date. If you follow my blog, leave a second comment for another chance. I'll leave this open until next Saturday, 27th April around about 6pm GMT.

And I am sure you have been having difficulties guessing which birthday with a zero I could possibly have had - yes? Suffice to say, I received my National Entitlement Card on Friday (that is my Bus Pass, to you & me - I can now travel anywhere in Scotland, by bus, absolutely free)

Wednesday, 17 April 2013

I appear to be "claiming" my blog.I didn't really make use of Reader when it seems everyone else did, I just read from the list down the side of my blog. I think quite a few got missed.......today I clicked on "follow this blog with bloglovin" on another blog, I then agreed to import my list and was amazed how many I hadn't seen in a while. I also liked the look of bloglovin so here I am catching up with the rest of you.
For those of you who do have problems following me sometimes,(mainly non bloggers) try clicking on the bloglovin button. Don't worry about the big Facebook sign in request, I know lots of you don't do FB. Just look below that and all you need to do is sign in with an email address and then you'll be notified when I post something.
So why don't you give it a try - my new button is just on the right, under the Stitch Gathering.

In other stitchy news, I have a FAL finish! Don't get too excited, it's a wee one, my biscornus pincushion from last week's workshop.

I had a nice time last week having an attempt to make a triple zippy pouch - see I told you I got there in the end. I got a bit excited when the penny dropped and one of zips is pretty wonky, just couldn't be bothered unpicking as I craved a finish, but I wish I had now..................

Although my regular classes are finished until August, I start a series of 6 workshops tomorrow, one a week. Tomorrow is EPP, lovely!! Let it rain if it likes.

So, after that I have a few busy days and then I plan a bit of a giveawy, so stay tuned as they say, in fact why don't you hit the bloglovin button!

Wednesday, 10 April 2013

So, here we are, ready to pledge some finishes before the end of June - eek.

I only managed one out of two last quarter and am carrying one over. I don't have a huge list, don't want to set myself up for a big fall! Here it is........

1. The Main Project - my Mod Pop quilt. I am half way through my blocks and on a bit of a mini roll - I have reduced my target to a double and really intend finishing this one. I will be QAYG on this one and will use it as another sample for some workshops so that gives me a major incentive.

2. Maybe the oldest UFO in the FAL? - this is one of my first ever class samples and dates back to 2004. The pattern is Hidden Wells, quite a challenging wee design, you should Google it and try it, it'll keep you out of mischief. Anyway, I still quite like it and reckon it'll do nicely as a table runner in my B & W kitchen. It's layered up and begging to be quilted. Hmmm, maybe.

3. A much more recent project, in fact, it was only yesterday - I attended a little workshop run by our Area Guild Rep, Tricia. She showed us how to do Biscornu, or as we in the know like to call it, Biscotti (sounds almost edible, doesn't it?) There were just a few of us there in the surroundings of the Ayrshire Quilters' Exhibition at Rozelle House in Ayr (GO, if you haven't been, and live locally). Sitting next to me was Jenny, in 1st year at the local secondary school, right wrist in a support, but luckily a leftie - she finished ahead of all of us!! What a delight to have a youngster sewing. So these are images of my pincushion, I just have to finish the beading and draw in the middle with an appropriate button.

4. - Number 4?? Crikey, I am throwing caution to the wind here mainly cos I have had a nice big glass of red wine with my dinner ( yes, on a Wednesday!!) and am feeling mellow, I am entering my EPP Christmas Star into the ring. I started this with the intention of it being my Christmas in July project this year but changed my mind. All it needs is a bit of extra quilting and a backing to make it into a cushion. I made this with some very old Christmas scraps, one of which was fussy cut.

Wednesday, 3 April 2013

April and here I am thinking of Christmas - not really. It's just that when I was doing my March round up I totally forgot about my sample for my Christmas in August workshop.
This year we will be making a festive cushion with the help of Gordon, my Accuquilt Go, to make the applique shapes.

I wanted to make my cushion a bit more subtle & modern Christmas, and must have pulled it off as darling daughter has claimed for her own, come December!
The reindeer, two different snowflakes and the sleigh all came as part of my latest Accuquilt die. I added the parcels.
I took my new, favourite approach to making this cushion. First I quilted up a length of background fabric that was big enough to wrap around the pad, with an overlap.
Then I added the applique to the quilted piece.I then bound the short end and sewed top & bottom.
On the back of the cushion I added a runaway reindeer and some fallen parcels, just for fun.

I still have spaces on this workshop - Sunday 18th August here in Ayr. Email me if you are interested.

Today, the sun has shone constantly, we have blue skies but the temperature is still low. However, with the feeling that it might not be long now until Spring, I managed to get out twice for a wee walk.
In between walks I made my blocks for Bee Bleessed, April. They are described as Starflower blocks.

I knew I had used this block before, indeed I had some nightmare memories about wanting to throw the quilt, and my machine into the wheelie bin.I just went off there to look for pics and could hardly believe that this quilt is made of such pretty blocks, mine was made as a wedding gift, was received very well and is still in use..but oh, how dull it looks now. The reason for my temper back then as I recall was my inability to quilt with 30 weight thread for any length of time without thread, or needle breaks. Got there eventually.

Bet you don't believe it's the same block..........

It really is.............

Anyway, as well as Judith's blocks, I finished the April Bee a Brit Stingy blocks for Di. These are very Orla Kiely and I really look forward to seeing them altogether, just need to do a siggy block and then they will be ready to post.

I also seem to be turning into a bit of a hand sewer..........but I'll keep that for another day!!

Monday, 1 April 2013

As we Spring into April, (see what I did there?)......I think March was maybe my busiest month for a while. It was a month full of deadlines, making things for expected babies, birthday babies, and of course getting ready for my Open Day.

Thank you all who commented and viewed the slideshow in my last post - over 270 views so far and I am determined not to even consider my husband's notion that it could be 5 people viewing 50+ times each!!

My mosaic for March isn't big, but it really represents many hours of work - I am pleased with all of it.

And last, but really, by no means least - I made progress with my Mod Pop quilt. I might have modified my plans and now think I am heading for a double (full?) sized quilt, I even bought some backing from

Here's to a lovely, sunny April.
Linking to Lily's Quilts & Fresh Sewing Day.PS. Update on Open Day - with some last minute sales this week, I was able to transfer £710 to Children's Hospice Association Scotland - thanks again all who helped to make this possible.